From ABC's Good Morning America to CNN's Larry King, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is going to be everywhere on TV today as his impeachment trial starts in Illinois.

Some of the networks are acting like it's a big journalistic deal to have an interview with him.

"Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will give his first national television appearances exclusively to ABC," the network announced this weekend. "On Monday, January 26th, he will be live on ABC News' Good Morning America -- the day his impeachment trial begins in his home state. Following his interview with GMA, Blagojevich will appear live on ABC's The View."

NBC trumpeted: "NBC News' Amy Robach sits down with Gov. Blagojevich in his first TV interview since his arrest." Part of that conversation will air on Today.

But for all the talk by the news divisions of "exclusives" and "firsts," giving Blagojevich air time isn't about journalism. In fact, the reason he will be all over the tube is that he has hired a PR firm, and they have launched a massive media blitz on his behalf.

So, why are the networks and cable channels going along with the campaign and featuring the man charged with trying to sell the Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama?

Because you don't know what bizarre statement is going to come out his mouth next, and he often sounds like a crazy man. If anyone didn't already know that, Friday's news conference with all his strange talk of "cowboys ropin' steers...and herdin' cattle" provided more than enough evidence. He somehow sees himself as a cowboy that the Illinois Senate is trying to "hang."

Blagojevich is a TV freakshow. Watching him is like watching Tammy Faye Bakker or Kato Kaelin. It makes for great live TV but in the end, it's a meaningless diversion from the real stories of the economy and war that need to be covered.

So, don't be fooled by the networks, cable channels, anchors and interviewers as to what they are selling with Blagojevich today and tonight. It's mainly trash.

Journalism would involve some real reporting on such matters as to how Blagojevich managed once upon a time to be taken seriously in Illinois -- and how it was that none of the Illinois politicians now running Washington seem to have done anything to denounce or expose him before now.

(Chicago Tribune photo of Gov. Rod Blagojevich by Nancy Stone)

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

An audience of 37.8 million American watched live inauguration coverage of Barack Obama from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Tuesday, according to Nielsen research.

It was the second largest inaugural audience since 1981 when Ronald Reagan's swearing-in and parade was seen by 41.8 million viewers. Contributing to that record-setting tune-in was the expectation that Iran would release American hostages once Reagan was sworn in. By comparison, 15.5 million watched the second inauguration of George W. Bush in 2005.

Tuesday's audience of 37.8 million was the aggregate for 17 cable and network channels. ABC was the most watched network, while CNN was the top cable channel. 

As it did in the primaries, caucuses and debates last year, Baltimore again was one of the cities with the higest percent of viewers. between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Overall, about 46 percent of all homes in the Baltimore TV market were tuned to the inauguration between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. That translates to more than 470,000 homes.

The largest percentage of viewers (51 percent) was in Raleigh-Durham, followed by Washington and Norfolk-Newport News.

The TV market with the least interest in Tuesday's historic events was Seattle-Tacoma with 18.8 percent of TV homes tuned in.

The national average was 29.2 percent.

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

For all the high sounding formal music and tightly scripted ritual that filled TV and computer screens yesterday as Obama Barack was sworn in as the 44th Prersident of the United States, it was a time tested R&B ballad, Etta James' At Last, that provided the most memorable moment of night-time coverage.

The song was sung by Beyonce at the Neighberhood Ball as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama danced their first dance at 10 inaugural balls.

ABC had exclusive TV rights to the ball, so that was the only place it could be seem during much of prime time, and by 10 p.m., ABC was playing it over and over and over and interviewing everyone from Beyonce to onlookers as to what they felt as they watched the First Couple slow dance to the tune.

Maybe it was the tremendous emotion that Beyonce brought to her performance as she tried to sing and hold back tears.

Maybe it was the easy intimacy the First Couple projected alone in the spotlight.

Maybe it was all the ballgoers who looked on in rapture with tears runnning down their faces.

Or, maybe, after a day full of European-based music and ritual derived from English and French traditions, it was such a pleasure just to hear something so rooted in the African-American musical tradition.

Whatever, the First Lady's gown looked great, and while the President wasn't the world's best formal dancer, he and she exhibited a winning and easy grace that was impossbile to resist.

While certainly not as historic as the swearing-in ceremony, or as profounding moving as the endless sea of joyous faces and waving flags on the National Mall, I think At Last and the slow dance done to it are going to be all the buzz with TV viewers this morning.

Posted by David Zurawik at 11:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)